CineGrey 5D®

The CineGrey 5D® is an angular reflective front projection material designed to reject ambient light while maintaining superb picture quality. The CineGrey 5D® is the perfect solution for rooms that have little or no control over incidental light. This means that it's an ideal fit for family rooms as well as lecture halls, boardrooms, sports bars, training facilities, and other business environments. In addition, the CineGrey 5D® increases projector brightness 1.5 times the amount. This is perfect for low lumens ouput projectors!

The CineGrey 5D® is superior to traditional white or gray materials in its ability to maintain a sharp, bright image regardless of ambient light. The angular reflective material incorporates a diffusion layer over a highl reflective surface. This causes direct light from the projector to reflect squarely into the viewer's field of vision while the outer contrast layer enhances image quality while reflecting indirect ambient light.

"The material was reasonably color neutral. It appeared to have a very smooth surface. It also had many sparkling elements to increase the gain. This material is intended to aid in rooms with significant scattered light from walls and ceilings. This is an excellent alternative to a Firehawk.

Angular Reflective material is not compatible with ultra/short-throw projectors

Minimum lens throw ratio 1.5x image width

Ambient light must not come from the same direction as the projector

Since angular reflective means that your projected image will reflect at the mirror-opposite angle, it is important to position the projector so that the viewer will benefit by getting the best possible image performance from the projection screen.

Minimum Lens Throw Distance must be 1.5x image width

Step 1: Establish the general "eye level" of the viewersStep 2: Set the appopriate projection level

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Downloads

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Reviews

"Great Screen, Straight Forward Installation and Performed to Expectations" July 29, 2014- ezFrame CineGrey 5D® Series
"After many reviews and hours of research I finally pulled the trigger on the CineGrey 5D® screen. I watched clips of other screens and am lucky enough to be close enough to Elite and the more expensive competitor, SI, to view this screen and the Black Diamond in person. There is clearly not $1700 dollars difference to justify the more expensive SI BD screen (IMO).

Installation: I was prepared for an exercise in futility after reading some of the other reviews here with regards to putting this together. I cleared an open space, laid down two bed sheets over the hardwood and followed the instructions to put it together. Bolting the frame together was a snap. The instructions were clear and being able to lay it all out made is a snap. The felt overlay has a few little shoddy spots (Black Sharpie fixed that) and doesn't perfectly align in one joint, but it's nothing anyone but me will notice. A cordless power drill had this thing together in about 10 minutes..."

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FAQ's

Q: What is the difference between the CineGrey 3D® and CineGrey 5®?
A: For a complete side by side comparison for these two materials, please click here

Q: I am interested in improving image performance (brightness, color, contrast, etc.) for projected images in a church sanctuary with high levels of ambient light. A salesperson recommended using a brighter 4700 lumen projector. Would this offer more noticeable improvement than using elite cinegray 5d screen material?
A: A brighter projector (higher lumens) will help with image brightness but it does not help with color contrast or black levels. Since the projected image performance is important here, a contrast-enhancing material such as CineGrey 5D® is essential. White materials will reflect all of the light in the room; the projected light, indoor lighting, and sunlight through windows and doorways, everything. Because of this, the ambient lighting will still spoil image performance even with a bright projector. Ambient light rejecting (ALR) screens such as CineGrey 5D® filter out indirect light allowing your projected image to be what your audience will see instead of the extra glare. In addition to that, the screen’s filter layers enhance black levels and color contrast. This means that shadows, textures and slight variations in color shading in the projected image can be easily seen. Without an ALR material, such detail and clarity will not be visible. As you can see from the photos below, a bright projector does not enhance contrast.

Q: How well does the CineGrey 5D® or CineGrey 3D® perform in a dark room environment?

A: The CineGrey 5D® and CineGrey 3D® is great for dark room environment also, but we must understand its limitations.

First of all, both materials have narrow viewing angles. So if you wish to have a wide seating arrangement after 80 degrees, you will notice a drop in brightness.

Second, because they are higher gain screens they reflect more projector brightness. This may tire your eyes, so we recommend using a less brighter mode if your projector has a such setting.

If that is not a problem, then these materials will work. And the best thing is, because they are angular reflective material, the projector’s light will not diffuse in all directions like a matte white material. Meaning that they will not scatter the projector’s light and create side lighting. Thus, eliminating the need to absorb it with black velvet or paint a room really dark.

Third, because both of these materials are made with a neutral gray substrate, the color balance and temperature will be exceptional. The dark gray also enhances contrast and great color saturation.

Q: Why choose an “ALR” screen like CineGrey 5D® over CineWhite®?
A: Although matte white materials such as CineWhite® are ideal for environments where room lighting can be controlled, the image is easily washed out by ambient light. Ambient Light Rejecting (ALR) materials such as the CineGrey 5D® are suitable for environments where there are high levels of indirect (ambient) light. This material trades off on the wide diffusion uniformity of white materials in favor of a brighter (angular reflective) image. Elite’s CineGrey 5D® incorporates a diffusion layer over a highly reflective surface which scatters ambient light while improving picture performance with a brighter image. This includes color neutrality with enhanced black levels and improvement over Active 3D presentations.

Andrew Robinson, an industry expert, shared his thoughts with Elite Screens about the performance of the CineGrey 5D® ALR material, "…of all the features, the one that gets me and really speaks the most is the fact that the CineGrey 5D® material from Elite Screens is the most cost effective ambient light solution on the market today. This is why I use it and this is why I recommend that you check it out for yourself. Because, at the end of the day, we all want performance but we also want incredible value and these are two things that the CineGrey 5D® delivers in spades.” Click here to see video of Andrew Robinson's endorsement of the CineGrey 5D®.

Q:Can I use the CineGrey 5D® material for active 3d technology or is only meant for passive 3d technology? A: Actually, the CineGrey 5D® material can be used for active 3d technology to make up for the brightness and contrast loss while in 3d mode.

Q: What percentage of polarization does the CineGrey 5D® retain?
A: The CineGrey 5D™ retains 88% of polarization.

Q: I have a short throw/ultra-short throw projector, will this projector work with the ambient light rejecting CineGrey 3D®/5D® materials?A: The ambient light rejecting properties of the CineGrey 3D®/ 5D® make the materials incompatible with short throw and ultra-short throw projectors. The recommended minimum projector throw distance for these materials is 1.5 times the viewing image width. There are two main reasons behind this:

The CineGrey 3D®/5D® are high gain and angular reflective screen materials. These types of materials require proper projector and screen alignment as hot-spotting may occur if not set up correctly.

Due to the CineGrey 3D®/5D® materials being angular reflective, the angle of incidence from short-throw and ultra short-throw will be too close to the material and the viewer will not experience the optimal projector/screen performance. The material will treat the projector’s light as ambient light and thus it will reflect it in the wrong direction.

Q: I have a high lumens output projector but my room has ambient light/ light colored walls/ceiling. How will the CineWhite® and CineGrey 5D® perform? Is the CineGrey 5D® a silver or grey screen? How does the screen color affect grayscales?

A: Our CineWhite® material is an excellent screen material that is highly recommended when you have either a really high output (+3000 lumens projector) and/or are able to control the light in your media room (i.e. a dedicated home theater). However, under conditions when a lower output projector, uncontrolled ambient light, or light colored walls and/or ceiling, the CineGrey 5D® has four key features that result in a better overall viewing experience.

The CineGrey 5D® material has an ambient light rejecting surface. The material has an angular reflective material that incorporates a diffusion layer over a highly reflective surface. This causes direct light from the projector to reflect squarely into the viewer's field of vision while the outer contrast layer enhances image quality while absorbing indirect ambient light.

The CineGrey 5D® contains elements of a silver screen despite its dark appearance. These both work to enhance the contrast ratio and color reproduction in either a well lit or a dark room. With most standard white materials, the image will become washed out when ambient light is present. The ambient light reflecting properties allow the CineGrey 5D® to maintain the image quality even under conditions where there is a high amount of light. In light controlled rooms, there are still certain reflective surfaces that may interact with the projected image such as the colors of the walls/ceiling. The grey/silver properties of the CineGrey 5D® reduce the impact the reflective surfaces, such as light colored walls and ceiling, have on the screen image. Although a white surface is recommended in completely controlled designs, the difference in grayscale between the CineGrey 5D® and CineWhite® surfaces are so slight that they may not be noticeable to most human eyes.

The CineGrey 5D® is a 1.5 gain screen material that improves the image quality when active 3D projectors are used. There is approximately 50% loss of brightness when 3D is activated and there is even more brightness (aka lumens) being lost when the tinted shutter glasses are worn. The 1.5 gain of the CineGrey 5D® reflects the image at 1.5 times the original brightness of magnesium carbonate which is the standard industry control for creating a 1.0 gain white projection screen.

The CineGrey 5D® is also a polarized material that allows for true 1080P 3D content when using a passive 3D projection system (i.e. dual projectors with an AFlex5D passive 3D video processor). The CineWhite® material is not polarized and thus the only 3D content that can be displayed on that surface must be from an Active 3D projector. In general, passive 3D is easier on the eyes as the viewer is able to see the image with both eyes at the same time rather than the left/right split that occurs during Active 3D.

Reviews

"Great Screen, Straight Forward Installation and Performed to Expectations" July 29, 2014- ezFrame CineGrey 5D® Series
"After many reviews and hours of research I finally pulled the trigger on the CineGrey 5D® screen. I watched clips of other screens and am lucky enough to be close enough to Elite and the more expensive competitor, SI, to view this screen and the Black Diamond in person. There is clearly not $1700 dollars difference to justify the more expensive SI BD screen (IMO).

Installation: I was prepared for an exercise in futility after reading some of the other reviews here with regards to putting this together. I cleared an open space, laid down two bed sheets over the hardwood and followed the instructions to put it together. Bolting the frame together was a snap. The instructions were clear and being able to lay it all out made is a snap. The felt overlay has a few little shoddy spots (Black Sharpie fixed that) and doesn't perfectly align in one joint, but it's nothing anyone but me will notice. A cordless power drill had this thing together in about 10 minutes..."

FAQ's

Q: What is the difference between the CineGrey 3D® and CineGrey 5®?
A: For a complete side by side comparison for these two materials, please click here

Q: I am interested in improving image performance (brightness, color, contrast, etc.) for projected images in a church sanctuary with high levels of ambient light. A salesperson recommended using a brighter 4700 lumen projector. Would this offer more noticeable improvement than using elite cinegray 5d screen material?
A: A brighter projector (higher lumens) will help with image brightness but it does not help with color contrast or black levels. Since the projected image performance is important here, a contrast-enhancing material such as CineGrey 5D® is essential. White materials will reflect all of the light in the room; the projected light, indoor lighting, and sunlight through windows and doorways, everything. Because of this, the ambient lighting will still spoil image performance even with a bright projector. Ambient light rejecting (ALR) screens such as CineGrey 5D® filter out indirect light allowing your projected image to be what your audience will see instead of the extra glare. In addition to that, the screen’s filter layers enhance black levels and color contrast. This means that shadows, textures and slight variations in color shading in the projected image can be easily seen. Without an ALR material, such detail and clarity will not be visible. As you can see from the photos below, a bright projector does not enhance contrast.

Q: How well does the CineGrey 5D® or CineGrey 3D® perform in a dark room environment?

A: The CineGrey 5D® and CineGrey 3D® is great for dark room environment also, but we must understand its limitations.

First of all, both materials have narrow viewing angles. So if you wish to have a wide seating arrangement after 80 degrees, you will notice a drop in brightness.

Second, because they are higher gain screens they reflect more projector brightness. This may tire your eyes, so we recommend using a less brighter mode if your projector has a such setting.

If that is not a problem, then these materials will work. And the best thing is, because they are angular reflective material, the projector’s light will not diffuse in all directions like a matte white material. Meaning that they will not scatter the projector’s light and create side lighting. Thus, eliminating the need to absorb it with black velvet or paint a room really dark.

Third, because both of these materials are made with a neutral gray substrate, the color balance and temperature will be exceptional. The dark gray also enhances contrast and great color saturation.

Q: Why choose an “ALR” screen like CineGrey 5D® over CineWhite®?
A: Although matte white materials such as CineWhite® are ideal for environments where room lighting can be controlled, the image is easily washed out by ambient light. Ambient Light Rejecting (ALR) materials such as the CineGrey 5D® are suitable for environments where there are high levels of indirect (ambient) light. This material trades off on the wide diffusion uniformity of white materials in favor of a brighter (angular reflective) image. Elite’s CineGrey 5D® incorporates a diffusion layer over a highly reflective surface which scatters ambient light while improving picture performance with a brighter image. This includes color neutrality with enhanced black levels and improvement over Active 3D presentations.

Andrew Robinson, an industry expert, shared his thoughts with Elite Screens about the performance of the CineGrey 5D® ALR material, "…of all the features, the one that gets me and really speaks the most is the fact that the CineGrey 5D® material from Elite Screens is the most cost effective ambient light solution on the market today. This is why I use it and this is why I recommend that you check it out for yourself. Because, at the end of the day, we all want performance but we also want incredible value and these are two things that the CineGrey 5D® delivers in spades.” Click here to see video of Andrew Robinson's endorsement of the CineGrey 5D®.

Q:Can I use the CineGrey 5D® material for active 3d technology or is only meant for passive 3d technology? A: Actually, the CineGrey 5D® material can be used for active 3d technology to make up for the brightness and contrast loss while in 3d mode.

Q: What percentage of polarization does the CineGrey 5D® retain?
A: The CineGrey 5D™ retains 88% of polarization.

Q: I have a short throw/ultra-short throw projector, will this projector work with the ambient light rejecting CineGrey 3D®/5D® materials?A: The ambient light rejecting properties of the CineGrey 3D®/ 5D® make the materials incompatible with short throw and ultra-short throw projectors. The recommended minimum projector throw distance for these materials is 1.5 times the viewing image width. There are two main reasons behind this:

The CineGrey 3D®/5D® are high gain and angular reflective screen materials. These types of materials require proper projector and screen alignment as hot-spotting may occur if not set up correctly.

Due to the CineGrey 3D®/5D® materials being angular reflective, the angle of incidence from short-throw and ultra short-throw will be too close to the material and the viewer will not experience the optimal projector/screen performance. The material will treat the projector’s light as ambient light and thus it will reflect it in the wrong direction.

Q: I have a high lumens output projector but my room has ambient light/ light colored walls/ceiling. How will the CineWhite® and CineGrey 5D® perform? Is the CineGrey 5D® a silver or grey screen? How does the screen color affect grayscales?

A: Our CineWhite® material is an excellent screen material that is highly recommended when you have either a really high output (+3000 lumens projector) and/or are able to control the light in your media room (i.e. a dedicated home theater). However, under conditions when a lower output projector, uncontrolled ambient light, or light colored walls and/or ceiling, the CineGrey 5D® has four key features that result in a better overall viewing experience.

The CineGrey 5D® material has an ambient light rejecting surface. The material has an angular reflective material that incorporates a diffusion layer over a highly reflective surface. This causes direct light from the projector to reflect squarely into the viewer's field of vision while the outer contrast layer enhances image quality while absorbing indirect ambient light.

The CineGrey 5D® contains elements of a silver screen despite its dark appearance. These both work to enhance the contrast ratio and color reproduction in either a well lit or a dark room. With most standard white materials, the image will become washed out when ambient light is present. The ambient light reflecting properties allow the CineGrey 5D® to maintain the image quality even under conditions where there is a high amount of light. In light controlled rooms, there are still certain reflective surfaces that may interact with the projected image such as the colors of the walls/ceiling. The grey/silver properties of the CineGrey 5D® reduce the impact the reflective surfaces, such as light colored walls and ceiling, have on the screen image. Although a white surface is recommended in completely controlled designs, the difference in grayscale between the CineGrey 5D® and CineWhite® surfaces are so slight that they may not be noticeable to most human eyes.

The CineGrey 5D® is a 1.5 gain screen material that improves the image quality when active 3D projectors are used. There is approximately 50% loss of brightness when 3D is activated and there is even more brightness (aka lumens) being lost when the tinted shutter glasses are worn. The 1.5 gain of the CineGrey 5D® reflects the image at 1.5 times the original brightness of magnesium carbonate which is the standard industry control for creating a 1.0 gain white projection screen.

The CineGrey 5D® is also a polarized material that allows for true 1080P 3D content when using a passive 3D projection system (i.e. dual projectors with an AFlex5D passive 3D video processor). The CineWhite® material is not polarized and thus the only 3D content that can be displayed on that surface must be from an Active 3D projector. In general, passive 3D is easier on the eyes as the viewer is able to see the image with both eyes at the same time rather than the left/right split that occurs during Active 3D.